Air compressing and cooling apparatus



(No Model.)

2 sheets-sheet 1. l J. FLINDALL; l AIR COMPRBSSING AND COOLINGAPPARATUS.

Patented July 6,1897.v

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AIR UOMPRESSING AND GooLING APPARATUS.

Patented July 61, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENTl JOHN FLINDALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AIR COMPRESSING AND COOLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,955, dated July 6,1897.

Application ied February 4, 1896. Serial Ifo. 577,980. (No model.)

o bl whom t T11/cbj] concern.r

Be it known that I, JOHN FLINDALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Air Compressing and CoolingMechanism, which are fully set forth in the following speci- Iication,reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a partthereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved appliance bywhich the ordinary supply of water under pressure for domestic purposesmay be utilized to compress air and absorb the heat rendered sensible bysuch compression, so that such compressed air may be in condition to beutilized by permitting its expansion under proper conditions to producerefrigeration.

It consists in improved mechanism by which the water-pressure isutilized to compress the air.

It consists also in such arrangement of the Water-chamber and theair-passages that the water underpressure, while operating to coinpressthe air, simultaneously operates to cool the same.

It consists also in eXpedients by which the water thus used to compressand simultaneously cool the air is drawn from the chamber in which itoperates for this purpose by the ordinary use of water in the house inorder to admit a new Vsupply of water to such chamber for the purpose ofrenewing the pressure and continuing the cooling process.

It consists also of improved mechanism by which the water-supply, evenat low pressure, compresses the air to a much higher tension.

It comprises also further details of construction, which are specifiedin the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of one form of myrefrigerating device, in which the air-tension producible is limited tothe water-pressure. Fig. 2 is a similar section of a modified form, inwhich the air-pressure producible is in excess of the water-tension.Fig. S is a similar section of a further modification, having the samecharacteristics stated with respect to the form shown in Fig. 2, buthaving the parts rearranged for the purpose of reducing the exteriordimensions. Fig. 4 is a detail section at the line 4 4 on Fig. 3.

A represents a water-supply pipe; B, a continuation of the same leadingto the house system or to any particular part or faucet therein.

C is a chamber constituting a coupling uniting the pipes A and B, havinga lateral or bypass opening c, controlled by a check-valve d, openinginwardly with respect to said chamber, whose body D is screwed into saidopening, and which serves as a coupling to connect the chamber C, andthereby the pipes A and B, with the body of a cylinder E, which is thecompression and cooling chamber.

In the form shown in Fig. l the pipe Ahas a branch Al back of thecoupling-chamber C, which leads also into the chamber E at the upperpart. More specifically, I provide a pipe or thimble F, which isinserted down from the upper end of the chamber E and protrudes a fewinches below the top, this thimble having a lateral opening f outsidethe cylinder, at which there is connected a branch F', having anair-inlet valve f', and into the upper end of the pipe F the branchwater-pipe A' protrudes and extends downward some distance below the topof the cylinder E, but stops shortabove the end of the pipe F, and ispreferably constructed or pro vided with a tapered discharge. In thebranch pipe A there is a check-valve A10, which admits water to thecylinder, but prevents its return. At the upper end of the chamber E ithas an air-outlet controlled by an outwardly-opening check-valve g, fromwhose chamber G beyond the seat of the valve the pipe H leads back intothe chamber F., where it is formed into a spiral coil near the wall ofthe cylinder. I have shown the spiral commencing at the upper part andcontinuing to the bottom, the end of the pipe being then turned inwardand extended up within the coil, as seen at H', and emerging from thecylinder at the upper part and eX- tending to any convenient point,where it connects with a chamber J, having an. outlet at j, controlledby a valve J which is seated by the pressure of a spring J 2, whosetension may be regulated at will by the screw J3. From the valve-chamberbeyond its seat a pipe J4 leads to the refrigerator or cooling room orapartment to be cooled and terminates therein in a small nozzle J5, thedischarge through which may be controlled by IOO a valve J 6, which ispreferably located as near to the nozzle as possible.

The operation of the device, as thus far described, may be nowunderstood. i

The water supply entering through the branch A and discharged from thelower end of that branch within the pipe F operates as an injector,drawing air past the check-valve j" until the cylinder E is iilled withwater high enough to seal the lower mouth of the pipe F, and if thewater-pressure is strong air will be drawn until the water rises somelittle distance past said mouth. Eventually, however, the water willcease to draw air, but will continue to discharge through the pipe Ainto the chamber E until the tension of the air, which will occupy theupper part of the chamber above the water and the pipe H to the valve Jis equal to the water-pressure or to the resistance of the valve J',which must not exceed the maximum water-pressure, but may be even less.Disregarding for the present the discharge of air, which may bepermitted through the nozzle J5, it will be noticed that Whenever wateris drawn from the pipe B, the pressure through the branch A beingdiminished or entirely taken off, so me portion of the water passing outthrough B will be received from the chamber E, past the check-valve d.This result is rendered more certain and increased in degree by thedetail structure shown in the coupling-chamber C, consisting inextending the pipe A thereinto beyond the by-pass opening controlled bythe check-valve d and reducing the end of the pipe and having it operatesomewhat as a trome to draw water by friction past the valve d out ofthe chamber E; but even without this speciiic construction anyconsiderable draft of the water from the pipe B will be supplied partlyfrom the chamber E. The size of the cylinder E should be such in respectto the ordinaryT consu m piion in the house and the frequency with whichthe water is drawn for such consumption that said chamber E will not belikely to be completely lled in the intervals between the drawing ofwater for` the house through the pipe B during ordinary use in thedaytime; and this being the case there may be a constant discharge ofair from the nozzle J5 and a constant maintenance of pressure in thechamber E by the inflow of water in the intervals between the outiiowscaused by drawing water from the pipe B. The air compressed in thechamber E will be heated by such compression, and that heat beingreabsorbed by the water as the air passes through the coil of the pipe Hwithin the chamber E the air will reach the valve J substantially atnormal temperature, or nearly as cool as the water-supply, but under thetension produced in the chamber E, and will be discharged past thatvalve when it exceeds the pressure to which the valve is set. The aircompressed to the tension determined by the adjustment of the screw J isnow subject to the control of the valve J6 and may be permitted todischarge past said Valve at will and at any rate consistent withmaintaining the desired pressure back of such valve, and being undertensionl and at normal temperature it is in condition to be madeavailable for the purpose of refrigeration according to well-knownprinciples. The mechanism or eXpedients for this function form no partof my invention and are not illustrated.

In order to avoid the cessation of the discharge in case the watershould be drawn through the pipe B at too great intervals, as at night,when the water is not much in use, it is important to provide means forautomatically emptying the chamber E as frequently as it becomes nearlyfilled and before the water can pass out into the pipe H. For suchpurpose I provide the siphon K, which leads from the valve-chamber L,which is located at the bottom of the chamber E and has a free dischargeat L, controlled by the float-valve M, which is seated Within thechamber L. The siphon has 'its crest near the top of the chamber E, andits shorter leg opens a short distance above the valve-chamber L. Avent-pipe L2 extends from the top of the chamber L up within the chamberE, opening freely in said chamber above the crest of the siphon.

lVith this constructionY it will be understood that in the valve-chamberL, Where the valve M is seated, there is air at the tension produced atthe chamber E by the water-pressure and that when the water rising inthe chamber E iills the shorter leg of the siphon and iiows over thecrest and iills the Valvechamber L, iioating the valve off its seat, thesiphon will be instantly primed and the water will be drawn through itout of the chamber E down to the level of the lower end of the shorterlimb or intake-mouth of the siphon. The siphon should be of suchcapacity relatively to the supply, which can be received from the branchpipe A', that the chamber will be emptied quickly, notwithstanding thesupply, which will continue during the emptying. As soon as the waterhas fallen below the intale-mOuth of the siphon the air entering willbreak the action and the chamber E will again iill until the siphon isagain primed and the discharge repeated.

Then by reason of insufficient water-pressure or because greater degreeof cooling is necessary than can be obtained without greater compressionthan can be produced by the vwater-pressure directly, the modiiicationshown in Figs. 2 and 3 maybe employed. In these forms the branch pipeA', with the appliances connected therewith for drawing in air, areomitted, and the water-supply to the cylinder is taken in preferablynear the bottom and preferably below the by-pass or outlet-valve D, asby a small pipe a', which may lead from the coupling-chamber C or fromany other point in the water-supply. This pipe a may have a cut-offvalve am,

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which will be closed only when the device is intended to be out of use,or which may be partly closed to increase the period of filling anddiminishing the frequency of siphonic emptying. In this form no air istaken into the cylinder E, but a piston N is provided adapted to play inthe cylinder above the coil of pipe H, which is brought in` and emergesat the side. This piston has a reduced portion or stem N', which playsin a correspondingly-reduced pistonechamber rigid with the cylinder E,from which discharge is afforded beyond the stroke of the piston pastthe check-valve,which corresponds to the checkvalve g in the form shownin Eig. l and is indicated bythe same letter, from whose chamber G,beyond the seat of the valve, the pipe I-I leads, as in the form shownin Fig. l. An air-inlet is provided for the piston-chamber E3 beyond thepiston controlled by an inlet check-valve E00. In this construction itwill be understood that the pressure producible beyond the reducedpiston or piston-stem N and in the coil of the pipe II will be to thewater-pressure operating back of the large piston in the cylinder Einversely as the area of the two pistons or piston-stem N and pis` tonN. For example, the piston N being four inches in diameter and the stemN being one inch in diameter, with a water-pressure of twentyflve poundsbehind the piston N, an airtension of four hundred pounds will beproducible in the cylinder E3 and coil of pipe II, with a correspondingincrease of the cooling effect which may be produced.

In order to render the device more compact,

` the form shown in Eig. 3 may be adopted, in which the piston N isguided upon a stem N10,

which is rigid with the cylinder E instead of with the piston, such stembeing intruded into a chamber E3, which is rigid with the piston insteadof with the chamber E3, both the piston N10 and the chamber E3 beingproduced downward into the cylinder E instead of upward. In thisconstruction the valve g is located at the lower end of the stem N10,the duct Gr corresponding to the valve-chamber G and being connectedfrom the upper end outside of the cylinder E with the pipe II. Theair-intake valve in this construction is also located at the inner endof the stem N10, a duct leading from the valve to the top of thecylinder E. In both forms the upper end of the cylinder E is open to theair, being made in the form of a spider to support the stem N10. l

In both the forms shown in Figs. 2 and 3 it becomes necessary to providea modified means of equalizin g the pressure inthe chamber L because ofthe presence in the chamber E of the piston N, preventing the rigidextension of a pipe corresponding to L2 to a point above the crest ofthe` siphon.l The modification illustrated consists in making the pipeL2 flexible and attaching it at its upper end to the piston, so that theduct which it constitutes opens above the highest point to which thewater can rise.

1When the water is drawn out of the chamber by the siphon, thewater-level, falling to the intakemouth of the siphon, leaves air abovethe water to be compressed as the chamber fills, and the distance of theintake-mouth of the si phon below the lowest position of the piston Nwill be calculated with reference to the wateikpressu re and theconsequent degree of compression to which the air will be subjected asthe chamber fills, so that after allowing for compression of air in thesiphon and in the chamber L the water-level will never rise high enoughto enter the mouth of the pipe L2, terminating, as it does, in a cavityL20 in the under side of the piston..

rlhe modifications shown in Figs. 2 and 3 I do not claim specifically,but I have illustrated them to indicate the scbpe of my invention inrespect to the essential features. These modifications will be thesubject of a subsequent application or applications.

I claiml. In combination with a water-supply pipe of a house, aby-chamber communicating with said pipe at a point in the latter betweenthe source of supply and the point of consumption, the watercoursebetween said points being complete independently of said by-chamber;said by-chamber having extent above the point of communication of thewatersupply pipe therewith, and having an airinlet and an air-outlet,.also above said point of communication and suitable check-valves tocontrol the same to permit the air to enter only by the inlet and escapeonly by the outlet, and a pipe or chamber into which the air is forcedand compressed by the water enl tering the ley-chamber from thesupply-pipe.

p 2. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination with suitable meansfor compressing air by water supplied under pressure, comprising achamber into which the water under pressure is admitted; a check valvepast which the compressed air is forced by the compression, and whichprevents its return; the water-chamber having a drainage-port largerthan the supply-port connected to the water supply system; and a checkvalve which permits the water to pass out from the chamber through suchport, but prevents its return, whereby the drawing of the water from thesupply system tends to withdraw water from the chamber in excess of thesupply thereto.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination with suitable means forcompressing air by water supplied under pressure, comprising a chamberinto which the water under pressure is admitted; a check valve pastwhich compressed air is forced by such compression; and a coil orextended passage into which the air is thus forced, such coil or passagebeing located in the water-chamber, the latter having a drainage-portlarger than the supply-port and controlled by a check--valve whichprevents the entrance of water into IOO IIO

the chamber through such port; connections from such port to theWater-supply system; whereby the intermittent flow of water through suchsystem causes the alternate filling and emptying of the chamber and thecooling of the air in the coil.

4:. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination with suitable means forcompressing air by water supplied under pressure, comprising a chamberinto Which the Water under pressure is admitted; a Siphon having itsintake-opening in such chamber; a supplemental chamber into which thelonger limb opens, said supplemental chamber ha ving a free outflow anda float-valve to control the same, and having communication otherwisethan through such siphon with the top of the Water-chamber; whereby thewater-chamber is elnptied siphonically preparatory to refilling wheneverthe water rises therein above the level of the crest of the siphon.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination with the Water-chamber,an airspipe terminating in the chamber having an intake check-valve anda Water-pipe protruding into and discharging in said air-pipe beyond thecheck-valve and through said air-pipe into the chamber, whereby theWater-supply draws air into the chamber; a coil located in thewater-chamber and communicating with the upper part thereof; acheck-valve which controls such comm unication, and suitable means forsintermittently withdrawing Water from the water-chamber, whereby a freshsupply of air is admitted for compression and a fresh supply of wateradmitted to cool the air so compressed.

G. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination with a chamber intowhich Water under pressure is admitted and suitable means for supplyingair to the upper part of such chamber; a checkvalve controlling theemission of air from the chamber; a coil into which the same is emitted,said coil being located in the water-chamber and leading therefrom; avalve which controls the discharge of air from such coil, and means forregulating the pressure necessary to discharge the air past such valve:substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 31st day of January, 1896.

JOHN FLINDALL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. S. BURTON, JEAN ELLIOTT.

